Advocacy Blog

Tag Archives: reproductive rights

National Office took part in two rallies, the first for Affordable, Quality Childcare on Mother’s Day weekend organized by the Ad-Hoc Coalition for Women’s Equality and Human Rights. Although it was a rainy Saturday, we were joined by CUPE local 2204 ( Child Care Workers,) the local chapter of ACORN Canada, families and Child Care supporters. Member of Parliament, Olivia Chow gave a great speech about her Child Care bill that is before the House of Commons and wished all of the Mothers and Child Care Workers a Happy Mother’s Day!

Olivia Chow gives a great speech on Parliament Hill on Child Care.

The rally also featured the talent of the women of CUPE 2204 who, with the Raging Grannies, led the protesters in singing satirical Children’s songs written by Claire Tremblay of the Coalition (see one below).

Later in the month National Office attended the pro-choice presence at the annual Anti-Choice Rally on Parliament Hill. While this event was more serious, it was important to show our support for accessible, legal and safe abortion and above all the right for women to choose.

The recent decision of the Harper government to not include Abortion in their Maternal Health Initiative puts women’s lives at risk.

Access to safe abortion services and to contraception could prevent up to 40 percent of maternal deaths worldwide (United Nations, 2009). Lack of access can force women to continue with unsafe or rape/incest-initiated pregnancies or to use unsafe abortion services. More than 20 million unsafe abortions are performed yearly in countries where abortion services are not legal or where access is restricted. The Guttmacher Institute found that 13 percent of maternal deaths, or 70,000 women, occur yearly from the complications of unsafe abortions and another 5 million women are hospitalized. Women will continue to seek abortions. Yet 13 per cent of maternal deaths worldwide can be prevented by providing and funding safe and accessible abortion services.

Women’s access to safe abortion and to contraception is about the right to health care and about their right to make choices. Reproductive rights are women’s human rights. Funding for abortion is both sound health policy, and a matter of human rights for half the world’s population.

The CFUW calls upon Minster Oda, and Prime Minister Harper to stop playing ideological games with women’s lives, and promote comprehensive maternal health for women in the developing world.